A Runner's Hope
by fyd818
Summary: Sequel to LadyBozi’s “A Runner’s Sorry.” Just as Ronon thinks his life is put back together again, his past comes back to haunt him and just might destroy his future. RononTeyla, some ShepWeir. Complete!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own "Stargate: Atlantis." I am in no way trying to make a profit off this story, I am merely writing it and posting for my and other people's enjoyment.

Synopsis: Sequel to LadyBozi's "A Runner's Sorry." Just as Ronon thinks his life is put back together again, his past comes back to haunt him and just might destroy his future. RononTeyla, some ShepWeir.

Rating: T

Warnings: Violence, kissing (duh), if I think of anything else I'll put it at the head of the chapter it's in

Pairings: Ronon/Teyla, a little bit of John/Elizabeth

Spoilers: "Trinity," "Runner," up to "Return pts. 1 & 2"

Title: _ A Runner's Hope_

Sequel to: _A Runner's Sorry_ by **LadyBozi** you should probably read that first for this one to make sense

Author: fyd818 & LadyBozi

Part 1/?

Author's notes: LadyBozi asked me to Pleasee plleasseee write a sequel to her story "A Runner's Sorry." So she gave me the info I needed to start and the rest is just my creative brain, LOL. I loved reading "A Runner's Sorry" and was so amazed when she asked me write the sequel, of course I said "yes! Yes! Yes!" We both hope you enjoy it!

_**A Runner's Hope**_

**Chapter 1**

Belsa was a beautiful world, filled with color and light and life. It was a trading world, but many confused it for a partying world, for there always seemed to be some kind of celebration going on. It was a good place to go for a few days of relaxation; to trade; or to blend in and disappear for a while.

Ronon Dex quietly allowed Teyla Emmagan to pull him through the crowds by the hand, resigning himself to following her through the crush to wherever she was taking him. Whenever he asked her, the petite Athosian would just smile and tighten her hand a little, a reassurance that he was going to like whatever it was that she had to show him. He trusted her, there was no doubt about that, he just wasn't big on surprises, that's all.

He'd asked her to come off-world with him, for just a few quiet hours to themselves, and then she got this gleam in her eye and asked if he had a planet in mind. He had said no, because in all honesty he hadn't decided yet, and then she'd gotten a secretive smile on her face and said that she had the perfect place to go. It was how they'd wound up on Belsa, weaving through the chaotic crowds in pursuit of Teyla's secret perfect place. It made Ronon wonder if she knew his plan, if she knew that he had finally gathered up enough courage (and wits) about him to ask her that all important question: would she marry him?

Teyla stopped at a T in the road, looking right, then left, then pulling him right. She called out the occasional greeting to someone or other that she knew, but she didn't stop to talk. He could feel her excitement growing, and his own grew with hers. He wanted nothing to ruin this day.

Finally she slowed, closely examining each building as they came to it, and then she came to a stop, a smile on her face. But then she looked closer at the building, and he felt her deflate, the smile slipping off her face. A small, disappointed "Oh. . ." escaped her lips, and a sad look filled her soft brown eyes.

Ronon looked at the boarded up building then back at Teyla. "I'm sorry," he said, disappointment to share hers and curiosity warring inside him. "What was this place?"

She sighed and turned away from the building, this time allowing Ronon to guide her through the bustling streets. "My father used to bring me here on my birthdays when I was a little girl. It was a small out-of-the-way place, but they served wonderful tuttleroot soup, the best I've had next to Charin's, and their tea was fantastic. I wanted to bring you here, because I wanted to share it with you." She still looked so disappointed, and Ronon's heart twanged a little in sympathy as he draped his arm over her shoulders and pulled her to his side for a gentle hug.

"I'm sorry," he repeated. "Maybe they relocated?"

Teyla sighed heavily and shook her head. "I don't think they would have. The owners were already elderly when my father and I came here. I don't think they had any children, so when they died someone probably just closed the place and boarded it up."

He _had_ to cheer her up, so there was no backing out now. Ahead, he spotted a little tea shop that looked fairly quiet and, hopefully, romantic, so he gently tugged on Teyla's hand and pulled her after him towards the building.

"Where are we going?" Teyla questioned him, a small, confused smile flitting across her lips and dancing in her eyes.

"You'll see." Ronon pulled open the curtain that covered the doorway and entered, relieved to see that the place was indeed small, cozy, and even candlelit. The Ancestors were smiling favorably on this day, indeed. . .

They sat at a table towards the back of the restaurant, the candle in the center pushed to the side so they could see each other better. A blonde woman dressed in a long skirt and loose peasant top came over to them, listed off their varieties of teas and their matching prices, then smiled when they told them what they wanted, complimented them on their choices, then left to go fetch their orders.

Ronon patiently made general small talk with Teyla until their tea came and their waitress swished off again, then reached into his pocket and withdrew the necklace he'd been keeping there for just this moment, swallowing back his nerves and plunging straight into what he had to say. "Teyla?"

She looked up from where she was examining the intricate patterns on her teacup, a content smile on her face now and a soft look in her eyes, her earlier pain at least lessened. "Yes?"

Ronon swallowed again, his throat suddenly dry. He couldn't believe his nerves. . .he could face a Wraith without flinching, and here he couldn't even propose to the woman he was madly in love with because he was so nervous it felt like he was shaking all over. "You. . .I. . ." He took a deep breath. "Okay, this isn't coming out right."

Teyla set her teacup down, one eyebrow raising slightly in confusion or impatience, Ronon wasn't sure which. "What?" Subtext: _Spit it out, man!_

He could do this. "I know we didn't necessarily get our friendship off on the right foot, me shooting you and all, and even our relationship has had a few rocky patches, but in truth there is no other person that I'd rather spend my life with, and I just recently realized that."

Teyla sat up a little straighter, and the look in her eyes noticeably changed. A small, almost incredulous smile was curling up her lips, and the sparkle in her eyes grew brighter.

Ronon lay his hand on the table between them and opened it, revealing the necklace he held there. "If you're ready, and if you want me, will you take bonding vows with me?"

The smile on Teyla's face turned into a full-blown grin, revealing the same woman he'd seen one night so long ago, when she was so carefree and different than her usual self. "Yes!" Her voice was low as to not disturb anyone else, but it quivered with excitement, and so did her hand as she reached out and placed it over his and the necklace. "Yes, Ronon, I will!"

He twined his fingers with hers and pulled her to her feet with him, leaning down to kiss her as he gently secured the earth-toned bead necklace around her neck, securing the clasp tightly so it wouldn't slip off.

This day was perfect now. . .

A commotion by the door made Ronon lift his head from Teyla's and look in that direction. Suddenly his day was no longer perfect. . .it was terrifying, snatching away his joy and turning it to sudden dread.

Teyla must have seen the look on his face, because she turned her head and spotted the three men standing by the door. Her own smile faded when she saw the tattoos clearly etched into the skin of the men's necks, frighteningly similar to the one Ronon carried. "Ronon. . ." Her voice was tight, her entire body rigid. She knew as well as he did why they were there, that his past, and vicariously hers, had come back to haunt them.

By now the three men had spotted them and were heading over, businesslike (and somewhat menacing) looks on their faces.

_They're not going to get Teyla._ The thought leaped into the forefront of Ronon's mind, and he gently pushed her behind him slightly, shielding her from danger that was probably only aimed at him. But just in case. . .

"Ronon Dex." It wasn't a question.

"Yes." He saw no need in denying it. What was the point?

"By the laws of Sateda that you and we are all bound by, you are under arrest for the murder of Commander Kell of the Satedan army. . ."

Ronon tuned the rest of the man's spiel out, dread forming a pit in his stomach as the other two took him by the arms and led him towards the door, away from Teyla, away from his love, his life. . .

"Ronon!" she called after him, her voice tight with concern and slight anger.

He looked at her over his shoulder, unable to say anything or reassure her, knowing it would probably be hopeless, because there was no way that he could reassure her that everything was going to be okay, because there was no way he could.

His last sight of Teyla was the stricken look on her face and the tears trickling down her cheeks just before they pulled him from the building, and away from her.

_To Be Continued. . ._

_**Hope you enjoyed and, the next chapter should be up soon!**_


	2. Chapter 2

Please see first chapter for disclaimer, rating, warnings, pairings, etc.

Part 2/?

**Author's note:** I apologize for taking so long to get this chapter out, but I have been very busy lately, and I wrote the chapter, didn't like it, and wound up rewriting it four times before I was satisfied with it. Once more, I apologize for taking so long, and I hope that you enjoy. . .

**Chapter 2**

Teyla could barely remember walking from the tea shop to the Stargate, and when she stumbled through the portal into Atlantis, her heart screaming with confusion and pain, her eyes blurred with tears, she could barely organize a straight thought in her mind to explain to an anxious-looking Doctor Weir why she had returned so early, and why Ronon wasn't with her.

Elizabeth led her up the grand staircase to her office, where she sat Teyla down in a chair and, instead of going around the desk to her own chair, perched on the edge of the desk. "Now then, Teyla, tell me what happened."

Teyla swallowed and forced herself to calm down, knowing that if she didn't she'd completely lose her mind and probably never get it back. "I am not. . .it happened so fast, I cannot really be sure. . ."

Elizabeth reached behind her and picked up her coffee cup, placing it into Teyla's hands. "Drink," she ordered softly.

Teyla lifted the cup to her lips and drank the dark, bitter liquid, feeling lucidity come back to her with every sip. With that lucidity came a number of chilling realizations, of which included the truth that Ronon had just been arrested, and that she couldn't tell the entire truth to Elizabeth.

_What am I going to do?_ There was so much that needed to be done, including getting Ronon back, but there was so much that she couldn't tell the Atlantians. The biggest thing of all was that she couldn't reveal the truth of what happened on Belkan. She had a feeling that the Atlantians could be trusted, but she didn't want that suspicion hanging over Ronon's head, nor the Atlantians thinking that one day Ronon might turn on them.

Another thing she couldn't tell them was the fact that she and Ronon were engaged. If she did, they may not allow her to be involved in the search, and eventual rescue, of her betrothed for fear of her personal feelings overshadowing her better judgment. She knew what she was doing, she knew what had to be done, and she knew that she had to get all the help she could to get Ronon back.

Teyla quickly assembled her thoughts and looked up at Elizabeth, smiling a wan thank-you as she handed back the coffee. "When we got to Belsa, I led Ronon through the streets to the little restaurant I told you about. However, the owners must have died since the last time I was there, because it was closed and boarded up. We left there and just wandered the streets, looking for somewhere else to go. I could tell that Ronon felt bad that where I wanted to take him was closed, so he took me to this little tea shop, and we had only been there for a few minutes when three Satedan officers showed up." _I'm telling the truth, just not all of it. . ._ She felt guilty, but didn't know what else to do or say. "They just walked over and declared Ronon under arrest and took him away." She closed her eyes and covered her face with her hands. "And then I came back here."

Elizabeth's voice was soft and concerned when she spoke. "Did they say why they'd arrested him?"

Teyla hesitated. _What can I say that is not a lie?_ It had been she who told Ronon never to speak of the incident on Belkan again, and they had both kept to that promise. And here she was, still firmly holding onto that promise. Was it worth it? _It is_.

"I believe it was a misunderstanding," she finally said, as close to the truth as she could get without breaking the promise she and Ronon had made. "But I do know that we need to find Ronon as quickly as possible and exonerate him from the crime he may or may not have committed."

Elizabeth sat in quiet consideration for a long moment, then finally nodded and rose to her feet. "All right, Teyla. I'll have a team assembled immediately for return to Belsa." She looked at Teyla then, with a far too perceptive look in her eyes, and said softly: "We'll get him back, Teyla. I promise."

Teyla nodded and closed her eyes. "Thank you, Elizabeth." _ I only hope it will be sooner rather than later. . ._

_**Manaria**_

The vast majority of what remained of the Satedan people had made the world of Manaria their home, finding the planet similar enough to Sateda to be of satisfaction. It was here that Ronon was brought and locked in a cell. Then he was left alone for a while, probably so he would feel guilty for his crime, and then a harsh-faced Satedan came to stand on the other side of the bars from him, obviously to begin the questioning.

"Do you know what crime you are accused of committing?" the army commander, whom Ronon recognized as Koran Felzar, asked, the look on his face unwavering and his tone neither rising nor falling.

"Yes." Ronon didn't elaborate, knowing that fancy words wouldn't get him out of this one. He had been waiting for this day to come, for what he'd done to catch up with him, and at the moment he was only grateful that no one had dragged Teyla into it.

Koran eyed him with a bit of contempt now, his upper lip curling in distaste. "Kell was a good commander. You murdered him in cold blood, and for what? What purpose did this serve?"

Ronon stood and moved across the cell until he was standing only inches away from Koran, the bars the only thing that separated them. "You served with Kell. You know what he was like, how he treated people under his command and what he did when the Wraith came to Sateda. You ask me why I did what I did, what purpose it served?" A mirthless smile twisted his lips, and he lowered his voice when he delivered his final bit of reasoning. "I did what I did because no one else had the guts to. If you want to punish me for doing the right thing, then go right ahead."

With that, he withdrew back into the shadows of his cell and refused to answer any more questions.

What was done, was done, and he could see no reason to regret his actions. The only thing he could regret, however, was the fact that now he might never get to see Teyla again because of what he'd done.

And that, in a way, was punishment enough.

_To Be Continued. . ._

_**Once more, I apologize for taking so long to get this update to you, and I'll try to do better from here on out! I hope you enjoyed!**_

**LadyBozi**: Thank you so much for your kind words and for allowing me to write this fic. You are such a nice person, and I apologize for taking so long to get this next chapter up!

**Nerwen Aldarion**: That is one thing I want to happen, too, because there has seemed to be very little fallout from what Ronon did in "Trinity." That's one of the main things I loved about LadyBozi's ideas for this fic. :) I'm so sorry it took so long to get this chapter out, but I just couldn't seem to get it right, so I kept working until I did. I hope you enjoy!

**TubaPrincess**: Thank you! I apologize for taking so long to get this chapter out, but I kept not being satisfied with what I wrote and had to keep rewriting it until I felt it was right. I'm sorry that it took so long, but I hope it was worth the wait and that you enjoy this chapter. . .

**Hannah 554**: Thank you! I'm sorry for taking soo long to get this chapter posted, but I wasn't satisfied with what I wrote, I hated it, and I had to keep rewriting it to feel better and until I was satisfied with it. Once more, I'm sorry it took so long, and I hope you enjoy!

**StarSkimmer**: Thank you so much for your review, and your compliment! I apologize profusely for taking so incredibly long to get this chapter up, but I had to rewrite it four times before it felt right, and like it flowed with the previous chapter and fit in with the rest of the fic plan. Once more, I apologize for torturing you with the long wait, and I hope that you enjoy this update!

**Timespirt**: I am sorry for making you wait so long for this update, but I hated the results that I came up with when I finished the chapter, and had to rewrite it four times for it to sound right and flow well with the previous chapter and the future plan. Once more, I apologize for it taking so long, and will try to do quicker updates in the future. I hope you enjoy this chapter!


	3. Chapter 3

Please see first chapter for disclaimer, rating, warnings, pairings, etc.

Part 3/?

**Chapter 3**

It didn't take long for Doctor Weir to assemble the remaining members of AR-1, and only an hour after Ronon was arrested the team was back on Belsa, asking pointed and specific questions wherever they thought they'd get an answer. Since there were a few Satedans who had made their homes on that planet, it didn't take them long to track them down. And when asked the right questions, they quickly admitted that the most logical place for Ronon to have been taken for imprisonment and trial was Manaria.

The search team returned to Atlantis just long enough to look up the Gate address, then went back through the Stargate, this time to Manaria in hopes that who they were looking for was there.

Upon arrival, it was of little surprise to find out that the Stargate was a good distance away from the actual city. There was a well-traveled footpath that led them directly from the porthole to the main concentration of people.

It didn't take long for the Atlantians to realize that they were standing out very conspicuously amongst the locals. Where they were dressed in the usual black Atlantis uniforms, almost everyone else was dressed in clean, fashionable clothes that made everyone look as though they were on their way to important jobs or members of the elite.

This was Manaria?

Teyla followed quietly and pensively behind the rest, allowing Doctor Weir to ask all the questions. She was afraid that if she opened her mouth she'd say something she shouldn't and would later regret, so she kept her mouth shut and listened in pained silence as one passerby took pity on them and pointed them in the direction of the local prison.

As they continued through the bustling city, Teyla wondered how a prison could even _exist_ on a world such as this. Everyone was dressed to perfection and looked down at the Atlantians as though they were pitiful nobodies in comparison. It was obvious just from looking around that crime was not common on this world, though Teyla was sure that a few days in their own prison would do wonders to their pompous attitudes.

The prison was not hard to find, just hard to get to. In accordance to Teyla's opinion of Manaria, the prison was far from both the Stargate, a means of escape, and the city. The imposing, sturdy building had no windows and only one door, which had to be unlocked to allow entrance to the Atlantian team.

Once inside the prison, Elizabeth, Teyla, John, and Rodney were met with some hostility by the commander in charge of the Satedan half of the prison.

Koran Felzar was a tough-looking character. He had deep-set eyes, one of which had a long, jagged scar running from just above his left eyebrow down to about an inch below the eye; a brutish, unemotional face; and seemed to have not spent his life idly. He was tall and wiry but obviously strong, this was apparent in the muscles in his arms as he stood before the Atlantians with them crossed in front of his chest. "What are you doing here?" he finally questioned, eyeing them—and most particularly their weapons—with open hostility and distrust.

Elizabeth, holding neither weapon nor hostility, took a slight step forward. "We are here regarding your arrest of a man named Ronon Dex," she said, her voice strong and unwavering. "I understand that you arrested him on Belsa and brought him here?"

Koran eyed Atlantis's leader with a leering gleam in his eyes, and Teyla clenched her hands into fists at her sides, feeling Colonel Sheppard tense next to her. If Felzar was treating them with such little respect, she wondered what could possibly be happening to Ronon.

The thoughts sickened her, and she fought for control as she tried not to think anything too bad.

Finally Felzar turned his gaze away from Weir and glanced at the other three as he answered. "Yes, we did. Even though Sateda has been destroyed, we still abide by the laws of our original homeland and, as such, arrested former-Specialist Dex on charges of the murder of his former commander, Kell. While the murder actually happened two years ago, we only recently were able to track him down and apprehend him thanks to the number of our populace that settled on Belsa." He delivered his little speech with a note of arrogant triumph in his tone, and it was obvious by the glint in his eye that he was enjoying this.

Teyla swallowed hard, knowing that there was no way that she could keep the dark secret she and Ronon shared away from her fellow Atlantians anymore. Judging by the looks on her fellow teammates' faces, they were both surprised and displeased to learn of this.

Doctor Weir, forever the embodiment of calm, was the first to recover. "I think there has been a misunderstanding," she said confidently. "Ronon Dex would never. . ."

Koran seemed to take great pleasure in correcting Elizabeth. "Yes, he would. Two years ago, Dex arranged a meeting with his former commander through someone else, whom we have unfortunately not learned the name of, and, upon meeting him, pulled out his weapon and shot his former commander fatally in the chest." Felzar smirked slightly. "Now that we have finally tracked him down, he will receive the punishment he deserves for his crime."

Teyla swallowed hard, knowing without asking that Ronon was protecting her. Since it had been she who arranged the meeting between Ronon and Kell, had he not kept silent about her part she would no doubt be in prison right alongside him by now. That also explained why they had not arrested her with Ronon: they had been unaware of her true identity.

Elizabeth still looked far from certain. "Has Specialist Dex confessed to this murder?" she questioned, her voice sharp.

"Yes." Felzar's smug look at Elizabeth's obvious ignorance made Teyla want to knock it off his face with as much force as she could possibly exert. "As a matter of fact, he did."

Outwardly, Elizabeth still looked calm and in control. However, knowing her as well as Teyla did, she could see the anger that was simmering just below the surface of that outward professionalism. "We would see him immediately," she said briskly, her tone brooking no argument.

For a moment Koran's smug expression wavered in the face of Weir's unshakable calm, and he grudgingly called in a guard to escort them to Ronon's cell. However, he was firm in his insistence that they leave all their weapons with him before they leave. It was the one thing that they agreed to do, and before long they were on their way.

Teyla once more fell to the rear of the group, quietly observing her surroundings with thinly-veiled abhorrence. The cells were down two flights of steps from the upper part of the building, yet another form of assurance that their prisoners would be unable to escape. As they descended, she could feel the temperature dropping, and it got progressively harder to see the steps beneath her feet as the amount of lights along the walls grew dimmer and farther spaced.

When they finally reached the basement, Teyla shivered from both the temperature and disgust. The only light came from wall scones set along the wall opposite the cells; the air was dank and rancid, and a chill slid along her skin at the thick, heavy presence of fear and death that hung on the still, stifling air.

Only three cells were occupied, but it was the one farthest from the stairs, the coldest and darkest of them all, where Ronon stood with his arms looped through two of the bars, eyes coldly taking in the guard before shifting to the Atlantians, his expression softening to a look of consternation. "What are you doing here?" he questioned, voice rough.

Elizabeth glanced at the other three members of Ronon's team, then back at the tall Satedan. "We're here to get you out," she said.

A small, mirthless smile briefly curled Ronon's lips. "I hope you brought some really powerful guns," he said softly. "Because you're not going to be able to talk me out of this."

Doctor Weir shook her head. "They said that you confessed?" she questioned, looking as though she hoped he'd have a good reason, other than the truth, for having done such a thing.

Ronon nodded. "I did, because I did the thing that they didn't have the guts to do. It's better for everyone that Kell is dead." He didn't move, and his expression didn't change, with this revelation. He remained leaning against the bars, confident and assured in the decision he'd made.

Teyla could practically see the wheels turning in Doctor Weir's head as she thought about possible alternatives to shooting Ronon's way out to release him. "We'll work on it," she finally said. "We'll have you out of here as soon as possible." She offered as reassuring smile as she could muster before heading back up the steps, obviously to have a word or two with Koran Felzar.

Sheppard stepped up the cell and said something softly to Ronon, who looked away and nodded slightly. Then the colonel followed Elizabeth up the steps, his shoulders stiff, an angry look on his face.

McKay didn't say anything, he just half-smiled, half-grimaced at Ronon, glanced at Teyla, and beat a hasty retreat up the stairs, giving Teyla the last few precious minutes they had been assigned to see Ronon.

Teyla glanced at the guard standing a few feet away and stepped closer to the cell. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I told Doctor Weir about what happened. But I didn't tell her about what happened on Belkan."

"I know." Without the presence of everyone else, his expression had softened considerably, and the look in his eyes had shifted into a mix of anguish and longing. "I had a feeling you would."

Teyla wished she could just grab the keys, unlock the cell, and escape with Ronon back to Atlantis. However, she had a bad feeling that they wouldn't be able to free him, and that she was going to be a widow before she was even a wife. "I don't know what we're going to do, but somehow we're going to get you out of here," she said, wishing she could convince her heart of that as easily as she could her mind.

This time Ronon's smile was sincere as he reached through the bars again, this time to touch her face. His fingers were warm despite the frigidity of the cell, but the look in his eyes held little hope, a sharp contrast to his smile. "I killed Kell. I know I did the right thing, and said so. I also told them that if they wanted to punish me for that, they could." He started to withdraw his hand from her face, but Teyla caught it and clung tightly, unwilling to lose contact with him this soon. "My only regret is leaving you."

Teyla closed her eyes, swallowed hard, and shook her head. "No. We're going to get you out of this, we're going to go home, we're going to get married. . ." Her voice faltered, and she fell into silence, knowing that her fear and doubt was written in her expression, and that Ronon knew her well enough to read it like an open book.

Ronon's long fingers tightened around hers. "I have confidence in you," he whispered, a secret message in those words: no matter how this situation turned out, he trusted her and believed in her. "I know that everything will be all right."

His confidence flowed through his hand and into her, bringing a renewed hope to her heart and mind. "How?" she still couldn't help but ask.

"Because I've seen enough to know that it always does turn out right when it is really important," he said, squeezing her hand one last time before withdrawing it back to his side of the cell. "I love you. Remember that."

Teyla glanced at the guard, who motioned to her to go back up the steps, a suspicious look on his face. She looked back at Ronon, managing a smile as she whispered: "I will. I love you, too." Then, with one last look at the confidence in Ronon's eyes, she turned and walked back up the steps with her escort.

Somehow, someway, this would all turn out right.

It had to.

_To Be Continued. . ._

_**I apologize if the syntax in this chapter is a little weird. I have been reading the novel "Lost Queen of Egypt," and the syntax in it is a lot more formal, and I tend to pick up on that sort of thing, so I imagine it carried over a little bit into my writing (I'm talking formally to everyone I meet, it's so weird!), so I'm sorry if the dialogue seems a little off. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and the next update should be up soon!**_

**TubaPrincess**: Thank you! And I've been waiting forever in the show for them to do _some_ kind of fallout from "Trinity"—but no such luck. That's one of the things that I love so much about writing this fic. . .some kind of fallout, finally! Elizabeth just _knows_ things, that's one of the things I think makes her such a good leader. She really good at reading between the lines, and she does suspect something, but that doesn't really come into play until the next chapter. I hope you enjoy this one!

**Hannah 554**: Thank you! I got this one up a _little_ sooner, it was going to be even sooner, but RL got in the way and then I got a little hung up halfway through the chapter, so I posted it later than I originally intended. I'm so sorry it took so long. . .I hope you enjoy!

**StarSkimmer**: Wow, thank you! I'm the same way with my own reports for college, I'm just a perfectionist in my writing, I like everything perfect. My mother is an English major, and I picked up her pickiness for details in writing, so anything out-of-place absolutely drives me nuts. I should be channeling that into something else, I suppose, but nit-picking my own writing seems to be the biggest thing I'm doing right now. Drives everyone in my family (and my friends) crazy. And I will do _anything_ for ice cream. . . :D LOL. Is it chocolate? That's my major weakness. Here's the next update, I'm sorry it took so long, but RL and then a brain lockup got in the way. I'll try not to take too long the next time, though!

**Nerwen Aldarion**: I remember reading "Broken". . . Wow. Good fic. And the TPTB really need to bring in some fallout from Ronon killing Kell. . .that's one thing that I love so much about writing this fic. Finally, some fallout! And Belkan is the planet from "Trinity" where Ronon killed Kell. Belsa is one of the three planets were what remained of the Satedans were supposed to have settled on (Belkan and Manaria being the other two). I hope that helped clear it up (I hate alien names, I really do. They confuse the heck out of me). I've always been one of those sci-fi geeks who love, on TV shows, how different (and sometimes similar) they make alien justice. That's one of the things that fascinates me about _Stargate_, and in a way, _Star Trek_. I'm really happy you're enjoying this story (I'm loving writing it!), and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

**SpaceMonkey0941**: Very tricky. I hope you enjoy this chapter!


	4. Chapter 4

Please see first chapter for disclaimer, rating, warnings, pairings, etc.

Part 4/?

**Chapter 4**

_Manaria_

Teyla dutifully followed Elizabeth, John, and Rodney from the prison a half-hour later. Elizabeth had spent most of the time since seeing Ronon in a deadlock with Koran, but to absolutely no avail. It appeared as though Ronon had gotten himself into some real trouble now, and Teyla was sure that Doctor Weir was beginning to see that it was going to be close to impossible to talk the Satedans out of letting Ronon go.

Teyla kept her mouth shut the whole time. She knew that as soon as they got back to Atlantis, she would have to come clean about what happened on Belkan and her part in it. The more time that had passed, she'd felt better, because she'd come to understand and got to know Ronon better. Eventually she began to relax again, thinking that the trouble was over. They'd forgiven, they'd forgotten, and it appeared as though no one was going to try to make trouble about it.

But, as it usually went, as soon as she relaxed and began to completely forget about the incident, the past came back to haunt her, and Ronon, in the most horrifying way possible.

Even as Rodney was dialing the Stargate, Elizabeth called a meeting to discuss what had happened. Teyla knew that the moment they were back in the city they would go to the briefing room, and then she would be forced (perhaps not entirely unwillingly) to tell the truth about what had happened on Belkan so long ago.

She'd forgiven Ronon and trusted him inexplicably. The question was, would the rest of his team?

_Atlantis_

Elizabeth closed the briefing room doors and then took her seat at the head of the table, her gaze drifting from face to face before finally settling on Teyla. "Why do I have a feeling that you know far more about this than you were letting on?" she questioned, her voice patient and not brisk as Teyla had thought it would be.

Even with that fact, she still swallowed nervously. "Doctor Weir, I admit that Ronon and I both agreed to never speak of the incident on Belkan again. It was not because we were merely trying to hold back the truth from you, but because Ronon was new to Atlantis, still trying to prove himself, and we both feared that you would make him leave the city if you discovered what he had done."

Elizabeth arched one eyebrow. "And is it safe for me to presume that you are the other party that Koran Felzar spoke of?"

Teyla swallowed hard and nodded. "At the time, I did not know what Ronon was planning. All I knew was that he had been Ronon's task master on Sateda, and that he wanted to see him again. I was not aware of Ronon's plan to kill him." Perhaps something had been niggling at the very back of her mind, trying to warn her that all was not well, but she had ignored it because she trusted Ronon. "To Ronon's credit, he is protecting me by not revealing my identity to his Satedan captors."

Elizabeth leaned back in her chair and folded her arms over her middle, her gaze calm but extremely perceptive. "Do you condone Ronon's actions, Teyla? Do you understand what he did, why he did it?"

Teyla had had plenty of time to think about the situation, and she could honestly answer immediately when asked that question. "Yes, Doctor Weir, I do."

She could feel Elizabeth, John, and Rodney's eyes all on her, but she didn't waiver. She believed in Ronon, and she hoped that everyone else did, too.

John glanced at Elizabeth, then back at Teyla. "So what happened exactly? Did he just pull out his gun and shoot or what?"

A small, wry smile curled Teyla's lips. Apparently Sheppard knew Ronon fairly well to have guessed that one. "Yes. It was simple and quick. I can assure you that Kell knew no pain before he died. His death was quick." The words were a ghost from her past, but she pushed that thought away. This was not the time to be reliving her past.

The other three exchanged glances before John spoke again. "So do you think there is a chance we can get him out?"

Teyla had no clue why John was asking her that; perhaps he thought since she was closest to him, he would have explained more about his culture to her than anyone else. Either that, or he had guessed the other secret that she was keeping. "I do not know. I know nothing about the Satedan judicial system. I am just hoping that Doctor Weir will be able to talk him out of it, despite what he says."

Elizabeth looked cheered very little by Teyla's words of confidence. "If only I knew more about the Satedan culture and their judicial system. Did Ronon ever mention anything to you about his world? Cultures, traditions, the judicial system, anything?"

Teyla morosely shook her head. "Mostly he speaks of his family. He tells me very little about traditions and the Satedan culture on the whole."

Doctor Weir nodded, a thoughtful expression on her face. "Next time we go to Manaria, we are going to have to see Ronon again and ask him about his judicial system. Because I very much believe that we will get nothing from Koran Felzar or any of the men under his command." She pushed back her chair and stood, gazing around the table at the faces of her team. "Go try get some sleep, people. We will reconvene in the Gateroom in the morning at 0730 to return to Manaria."

As Teyla silently stood and moved out of the briefing room behind Rodney, she wondered how she would be able to sleep when Ronon was trapped on a faraway world, imprisoned for doing the right thing.

_To Be Continued. . ._

**Hannah 554**: Thank you! I was sniffling when I wrote that scene, I depressed myself. I'm sorry it took so long to post this. . .I'll try to be better next time! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

**SpaceMonkey0941**: Thank you! I love writing those kinds of scenes, I think I might change my middle name to angst, LOL. I'm sorry it took so long to get this chapter up, and I hope that you enjoy it!

**StarSkimmer**: I know exactly how you feel. I have a few books of my own calling from across the room (they're haunting me. . .), but writing and reading fanfic is so much more fun! Yay! A fellow chocolate lover! (hugs) LOL I'm sorry it took a while to get this chapter up, but I'll try to do better next time! I hope you enjoy!

**Nerwen Aldarion**: (nods in agreement) Yes. . .maybe we can (halfway) hope in season 4 for some kind of fallout from Kell? Well, the truth comes out this chapter. . .I hope you enjoy! (Sorry it took me so long to post, but I'll try to do better next time!)

**Bugginkrd**: Thank you! Sorry to keep you dangling on the edge for so long, but I promise I'm going to try to do much better getting the next chapter written and posted. The full truth comes out this chapter. . .I hope you enjoy it!

**TubaPrincess**: Thank you! I love writing Teyla/Ronon, they're just so adorable and much fun to write. I'm sorry it took so long to get this chapter out! Teyla tells the full truth. . . I hope you enjoy!


	5. Chapter 5

Please see first chapter for disclaimer, rating, warnings, pairings, etc.

Part 5/?

**Chapter 5**

Teyla dragged into her quarters and sat down heavily on her bed, resting her elbows on her knees so she could hide her face in her hands. When had everything gone wrong, and why? And was there _anything_ they could do to make it better?

There had been a definite air of concern hanging over the briefing room when she left. She knew that the multitude of surprises that had been thrown Rodney, John, and Elizabeth in the past sixteen hours had to have affected them all greatly (giving out those secrets had not done much positively for her), and she knew that all the recent developments did not shine a very positive light on Ronon. But she knew that to get him out of all the trouble he was in, she had to tell the truth so they would have something to work with.

Well, that would have worked if she'd felt confident about Ronon's captors. However, after meeting Koran Felzar and observing the prison where Ronon was being kept, Teyla did not have a good feeling about what the future held.

The door chime rang, and it did not surprise Teyla in the least. She had been expecting someone to come to ask her more about what had happened on Belkan; she also had a feeling that she knew exactly who awaited her on the other side of the door.

She moved silently across the room and swept her hand over the controls, allowing the door to slip open. Sure enough, it was Colonel Sheppard, and he didn't look pleased.

Teyla quietly invited him in and motioned to the chair next to the bed. He sat down as she silently slipped off her boots and sat down tailor fashion on the bed facing him.

"I think you know why I'm here," John finally said, looking as though he was trying not to judge anything or anyone until he had _all_ the details.

"Yes. You want to know all the details of what happened on Belkan." She didn't figure on skirting around the subject at hand any more than Sheppard.

"Yeah, pretty much." He was trying to be patient, Teyla could tell, but was having little luck. "So what happened?"

Teyla pursed her lips slightly and thought back for a moment. Even with the memories recently stirred up inside her, she still wanted to think a moment and make sure that she remembered everything just the way it had happened before beginning. "We discovered that another man who lived on Belkan was from Sateda. After some investigating, we found out that it was Ronon's friend, Solen Sincha. He eventually revealed that Ronon's taskmaster, Kell, was still alive and would be coming to Belkan very soon for trading." She rubbed her forehead tiredly. "I arranged a meeting for Ronon so he could see Kell again. At the time, I had no idea what he was planning. It was not long after Kell arrived for the meeting when Ronon pulled out his blaster and shot Kell point-blank in the chest."

She saw John reflectively swallow, and could almost imagine the way his mind was working beneath that perpetual bed-head hair.

"Ronon offered the guards with Kell a chance to kill him, but they did not. To this day I am still not sure why, perhaps they felt the same way as Ronon towards him but were too desperate for work to leave. Anyway, when no one moved to kill him, Ronon just left. I chased him out and caught to him just around the corner." She sighed again, her hand absently moving up to finger her beaded necklace. "Ronon told me the reason why he had killed Kell was because the man was a liar and a coward. When the Wraith attacked Sateda, Kell had sent out Ronon and the rest of the men under his command to die so he could assure his own escape." She paused and dropped her hand to her lap, trying to read the inscrutable expression on John's face with little luck before looking away, towards the stars sparkling outside her window. "I swore Ronon to secrecy and told him that after we left Belkan, we should never speak of what happened again, particularly not here. I feared that if you, Doctor Weir, and the rest of the Atlantians ever discovered what Ronon had done, you would force him to leave Atlantis." She sighed and ran her hands down her face. "Ronon is not a dreadful man, Colonel. I trust him with my life and would gladly give my own to save him." She wasn't entirely sure why she'd just said that last part, but she figured it couldn't hurt to say something positive about him after all the negatives she'd just thrown out.

Sheppard regarded her silently, a thoughtful expression in his eyes. "Earlier, in the briefing room, you told us that you condoned his actions. You still feel that way?"

Teyla slowly nodded. "Yes, I do. I admit that at the time I did not, but I know him better now. I understand him, how he thinks, how he acts, why he does what he does." She quietly dipped her head, her hair hiding her face from John so he wouldn't see the single tear that dripped from her eye and trickled down her cheek. "I love him, Colonel. He's the only man I have ever loved in my life, and the only man I ever will. And with or without your help, I am going to save him."

John once more waited a while before saying anything, and she could feel his eyes studying her, as if trying to see inside her and make sure she was telling the entire truth and meant what she said. She didn't say anything, she just sat there with her head bowed and her mind racing, and wondered what he saw.

Finally, after a long silence, he spoke. "He asked you to marry him, didn't he?"

Of all the things she thought Sheppard was going to say, that was the one thing she _wasn't_. "Excuse me?" Perhaps it was not the most intelligent thing she'd ever said, but it was all she could think to say in her startled state.

John smiled wryly. "The necklace. What you just said. The way Ronon had been acting lately. It all added up in my mind, and I figured he'd proposed to you. Or, at least, I'd hoped he had so I hadn't just blown his secret."

Teyla sighed and nodded. "Yes. He asked me just a few minutes before the Satedans came."

One eyebrow slowly arched upwards. "And?"

She knew what he was getting at. "I said yes."

Sheppard smiled and nodded resolutely. "Okay then, Teyla. Let's go get your fiancé out of jail."

This time Teyla didn't have to force a smile—it came naturally. "Thank you, Colonel." She should have known that her and Ronon's friends would stand next to them, and she would never think differently again.

They were all in this together.

_To Be Continued. . ._

**SpaceMonkey0941**: Thank you! Of course, I can't take _total_ credit for this, the original idea is LadyBozi's, I'm just typing it out. :) I hope you enjoy this chapter! (hugs)

**Hannah 554**: Thank you! This chapter is John and Teyla (but not in a shippy way, LOL), so I hope you enjoy!

**TubaPrincess**: Actually, um. . .that's this chapter. :) John is coming to pay Teyla a bit of a visit, and he figures out her secret. _Then_ we can get back to saving Ronon! None of him in this chapter, but there will be in the next, I promise! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

**StarSkimmer**: I luv chocolate bars. . .yummy. (follows the scent of chocolate) Okay. :) I will do anything for chocolate, your wish is my command. :D LOL Within the next five or six chapters Ronon's fate will be revealed. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this chapter! (shares chocolate with you) :D

**Nerwen Aldarion**: Probably because they do. ;) John confronts Teyla in this chapter (yikes!), and I hope you enjoy! (hugs)


	6. Chapter 6

Please see first chapter for disclaimer, rating, warnings, pairings, etc.

Part 6/?

**Chapter 6**

Teyla rolled over for the tenth time in the past hour, wide awake and entirely unsure what she could do about it. The main reason why she couldn't was because she was thinking about Ronon, not just what was happening to him at that exact moment on Manaria, but what had happened so long ago on Belkan.

She closed her eyes and buried her face in her pillow, for the first time in her life tempted to scream in frustration. She hated feeling so helpless, she just wanted to burst into that prison and _demand_ they let Ronon go, though she knew that would get her nothing but a diplomatic incident and a cell next to Ronon's. Granted, that would be preferable to not knowing how he was doing, but she didn't think that Elizabeth would take too kindly to the diplomatic incident.

Yesterday her life was perfect. She lived in a beautiful city, traveled to other planets and met new cultures and people, was engaged to a man who was as in love with her as she was with him, and she could not have asked for anything more.

And then, in the blink of an eye, it all changed. Suddenly Ronon had been arrested, her secure life had vanished, and she wasn't even sure if her friends would help. Well, the last had been resolved, but that was it. Ronon was still imprisoned by the Satedans, her life was suddenly very insecure, and no matter how hard she was trying to hold on to hope and determination, she could feel it slipping through her fingers.

Teyla rocked into a sitting position and put her hands over her face. She and Ronon should be on the mainland right then, preparing for their wedding and their life together. Instead, she was in Atlantis wondering if Ronon, in prison, was even going to survive the next day. She wouldn't put it past Koran Felzar to go ahead and exact his revenge, or "hold up the law," just so the Atlantians wouldn't have a chance to rescue him. Her heart hurt, because she'd seen the conditions Ronon was having to live in, and she knew that Felzar wasn't helping things any. She had a strange feeling that Koran had some kind of personal vendetta against Ronon, though what exactly it was about she wasn't sure.

Teyla closed her eyes and let out her breath. She couldn't do this, she was driving herself crazy. She had to do something, other than sleep, to keep her mind off the situation and give her a little peace of mind.

So she slipped out of bed and through the deserted halls of Atlantis to the greenroom, where she gathered a handful of flowers before sneaking out, guiltily sending a silent apology to the botanists who would come the next morning to some missing blooms. But she needed them for what she was going to do, and since she had no access to the flowers that grew on the mainland, those in Atlantis's greenroom would have to do.

When she got back to her quarters, she sat tailor style on her bed and gently wove the flowers together into a crown, trying to remember the pattern that Charin had taught her so long ago. Technically, she should wait for some of the other Athosian women to help her, but she didn't want to wait. Something inside of her was driving her to complete this small ceremony that night, as though everything depended on it.

The delicate, colorful blooms filled the room with their spicy scent, and Teyla took a moment to breathe in the fragrance and calm her mind before finishing up the crown. She set it delicately aside on the nightstand before gathering up a few candles and setting them on the floor in a circle, taking a moment to light them before returning to the nightstand to pick up her crown.

Teyla took a deep breath and then sat down in the middle of the circle her candles made, holding the crown of flowers in her hands as she whispered the age-old words of the purity vow. Every Athosian woman took the vow twice in their life, once when she reached womanhood (eighteen years of age), and then again after engagement and before her wedding. It was a vow to remain pure until her wedding night, and it was a one that Teyla had proudly held to.

She closed her eyes as she whispered her final vow to be true to only Ronon as she slipped the crown of flowers onto her head, two tears slipping free from the corner of her eyes as she did so. This ceremony, this _vow_, meant more to her now than it ever had before.

Somehow, they were going to free Ronon, and they were going to be able to get married.

_To Be Continued. . ._

_**Short chapter, but the next one will be longer, I promise! I hope you enjoyed!**_

**TubaPrincess**: Thank you! I typically can't write scenes between John and Teyla without them turning out so awkward, but I'm really glad that the last chapter turned out well. This chapter is really short, but I've had the scene in my head for a while and knew that it would fit well here. I hope I'm right. :) I hope you enjoy!

**StarSkimmer**: Usually when I try to write scenes with John and Teyla together, they turn out sooo awkward, but the scene in the last chapter seemed to flow pretty easily. I'm glad it turned out well. I'm happy that you enjoyed the last chapter, and I hope that you enjoy this one!

**SpaceMonkey0941**: Thank you! I hope you enjoy this chapter! (hugs)

**Hannah 554**: Usually when I try to write scenes between John and Teyla, they turn out really awkward, but the one in the last chapter just seemed to flow naturally. I'm glad that it turned out right! I love writing John, and I love his character. :) I'm really happy that you liked the last chapter, and I hope that you enjoy this one!

**Nerwen Aldarion**: I'm sorry I almost made you cry! (hugs) Wow, thank you so much for that compliment! Usually I can't write John and Teyla together, the scene turns out awkward, but for some weird reason the scene I wrote for the last chapter just turned out first write, and it seemed natural. Once more, thank you again _so much_ for the compliment (I love how you right Spanky, too!!), and I hope that you enjoy this chapter!


	7. Chapter 7

Please see first chapter for disclaimer, rating, warnings, pairings, etc.

Part 7/?

**Chapter 7**

_She stood in the center of the field, her head tipped back and her arms raised, eyes closed as the sky wept large drops of rain onto her. It streamed like tears down her face and dripped off the ends of her hair; her laughter floated across the clearing towards him on the howling wind._

_He stood under the shelter of the trees, watching her quietly as she enjoyed the sudden summer storm that had come up on the mainland. She looked like a creature of the storm, her skirt and the sleeves of her peasant blouse blowing around her in the wind like she was a part of it. She shouted something to the sky and laughed again, a look of pure joy and contentment on her face._

_He continued to watch her as she finally turned, her gaze catching his. She watched him for a long moment, then smiled and came toward him, her bare feet carrying her through the field and toward him with rapid speed and grace, the smile on her beautiful face snatching his breath away._

_She stopped only inches from him, the rainwater dripping from her bangs down into her dark eyes, still alight with laughter. Everything seemed normal at first (and maybe even second) glance, but there was something poking at the back of his mind, as if trying to tell him that something was wrong._

_He was just about to shake off the feeling when, as often happens in a person's darkest nightmares, everything suddenly changed. He was still standing at the edge of the field in the mainland, the rain still fell from the sky, and the wind still howled and lashed at him; but now, suddenly, Teyla was no longer standing in front of him. She was halfway across the clearing again, only this time she was being held on her knees by two Satedan guards. Koran Felzar was standing in front of her, a dark look on his face as he leveled the barrel of a familiar-looking blaster at Teyla's chest._

_Panic gripped his gut as he reached down to the holster at his hip, his hand grasping air instead of the grip of his weapon. He looked up again, his furious green eyes meeting Koran's dark, fatal ones. The Satedan, an ex-commander himself, smiled a small, cold smile of triumph._

"_You love this woman!" he said, motioning with his weapon. "And her death by your weapon will cause you far more pain than your own for the crime you committed!"_

_He didn't even have a chance to take a single step, or say a word, before it was over._

_Koran looked back up to him, sneered, and then tossed the blaster onto the ground next to Teyla's still form before turning and leave the clearing with his two guards, vanishing into the shadows of the woods like some dark creature of the night._

_He didn't care anymore as he finally broke himself free from the shocked trance that he'd succumbed to when Koran had killed Teyla. Seconds later he was kneeling next to Teyla, knowing before he even touched her neck that she was dead._

_The rain continued to pour down from above, mingling with the tears tracking down his face and washing away the river of blood that stained Teyla's light blue summer dress dark violet._

Ronon woke as he tumbled off the narrow cot at the back of his cell, striking his shoulder sharply on the metal frame as he fell. He cursed loudly, disturbing the already riled prisoner in the next cell, and sat up. He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, taking deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself as he desperately tried to erase from his mind the image of Teyla lying dead.

"Shut up down there!"

The thunderous sound of the night guard's voice echoed off the solid concrete walls, and Ronon's irritated neighbor stopped cursing and banging on the cell door, probably retreating to his own bunk to sulk.

Ronon didn't care. He sat down on his cot and dragged his shaking hands down his face, wishing he had something with which to abate the raging thirst in his throat from where he'd been yelling while dreaming. He felt cold, but he could tell that his skin was hot despite the frigidity of his cell.

_That was. . ._ He couldn't figure out the right word he was looking for, so settled for second best. _. . .terrifying._ He drew his knees up and rested his arms across them before leaning his forehead against his crossed arms, knowing he wouldn't be able to sleep again that night, if he ever would again.

Ever since this whole mess had started, he'd desperately tried to keep Koran from finding out that Teyla had been the one to help him (inadvertently though it had been, but that wouldn't matter to Felzar) kill Kell. He knew Koran fairly well, not just from his current incarceration, but from back when Sateda was still standing. Felzar and Kell had been fairly good friends, and Ronon knew that this wasn't just because he'd killed his ex-commander—for ex-Commander Felzar, this was personal.

The last thing that Ronon wanted was for Teyla to be sucked any farther into this than she already was. Her position was already precarious; it was bad enough that she insisted on trying to get him out and putting herself in danger. If Felzar ever found out who she was. . .

Ronon closed his eyes and grit his teeth. That was something he'd rather not think about.

He would just have to make sure that his nightmare didn't come true, no matter what he had to do to assure that Teyla stayed safe.

_To Be Continued. . ._

**_I apologize for getting this up a day later than normal. I was planning on doing it yesterday, as normal, but my grandmother suddenly fell ill and scared us all. She is doing better now, though, so I typed this up as soon as I could concentrate on my writing again. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and I'll try to make sure that the next chapter won't be late!_**

**TubaPrincess**: Thank you! I tried to think of something that seemed Athosian, and I thought of that while watching one of LadyBozi's music vids. I'm glad that it turned out right! There's a little more information presented on Ronon's predicament this chapter. . .I hope you enjoy!

**SpaceMonkey0941**: Thank you! That occurred to me as I was watching one of LadyBozi's music vids, and I thought about it and added a few extra details, and that scene was born. :) I'm glad you liked it, and I hope you enjoy this chapter! (hugs)

**StarSkimmer**: Thank you! I actually thought of the Athosian purity ceremony while watching my favorite music vid that LadyBozi made, and I thought about it some more and then typed it out. I'm glad that you liked it! I'm glad that you're enjoying these chapters (I admit that I'm having a blast writing them!), and I hope that you enjoy this one!

**Hannah 554**: Thank you! The purity ceremony was a lot of fun to write, I had gentle music going in the background, and just transferred the scene in my head (that I thought of while watching my favorite vid that LadyBozi made!) onto the page. I'm glad that you enjoyed the last chapter, and I hope that you enjoy this one!

**Nerwen Aldarion**: Thank you:) The Athosian purity ceremony has been one of my favorite parts so far. This chapter is a little darker though (and pretty Ronon-centric), but I hope you enjoy it!


	8. Chapter 8

Please see first chapter for disclaimer, rating, warnings, pairings, etc.

Part 8/?

**Chapter 8**

No one got much sleep that night, and their return to Manaria heralded weather suitable to their mood—wet and dreary.

Rodney decided to do some (not so quiet) poking around the town, leaving John, Elizabeth, and Teyla to continue on to the prison. Elizabeth still seemed determined that diplomacy was going to help; Sheppard and Teyla said nothing. They both knew that Weir had the ability to work miracles, but even she had her limits, and Teyla was beginning to fear that this was one of those limits.

Elizabeth went straight to Felzar, and John silently followed her to take up an unobtrusive position behind her, acting as guard and support. Teyla didn't hesitate, she moved straight to the door that separated her from the stairs that led to Ronon's cell and demanded entrance of the two men standing guard.

They looked at each other, demanded her weapons, which she handed over with some reluctance, and then allowed her to descend the steps down to the cells below.

Teyla shivered, wishing briefly for a heavier coat. If possible, the weather outside had worsened the conditions inside the prison. She had barely been down there for thirty seconds; Ronon had been down here for over twenty-four hours.

She pointedly ignored the leers and catcalls of Ronon's fellow prisoners, her eyes focused on the dark cell at the end of the row.

"Ronon?" For a second her throat constricted, since she saw nothing in the cell. Then a dark shadow at the back moved, and Ronon withdrew from the shadows of the cell to come stand on the other side of the bars.

"Teyla." He sounded exasperated and relieved all at the same time. "What are you doing here?"

She hardly heard him; she was still lost in the same horror she'd first felt when he came to the front of the cell. "Ronon, you look terrible! What's happened to you?"

He winced. "Nothing. Just. . .I didn't sleep well last night."

It looked more like he hadn't slept in a week. There were dark circles under his exhausted green eyes; his tangled dreadlocks framed his pale face and almost as white lips; and worse than even that, she could see the defeat in his slumped shoulders.

"Ronon!" At that moment all of her darkest nightmares roared to life and made her just want to march up the steps and commit a murder of her own. "What have they been doing to you?" The difference between him now and when she had last seen him the day before made her unconsciously shiver, and drove another knife of pain into her heart.

He shook his head. "Nothing. I'm fine." Ronon leaned away from the bars a little, withdrawing farther back into the shadows. "You shouldn't have come back here."

She blinked. Who did he think he was to tell her what she could and couldn't do? "What are you saying, Ronon? Of course I'm going to come back here! Until you're free, I'm going to keep coming back. . ."

He stepped back up to the bars, his features angry but eyes filled with anguish. "Teyla, listen to me! You can't come back. There's nothing more that you can do here, there's nothing you, or Doctor Weir, or Sheppard or _anyone_ can say to get me out. You have to leave _now_, and don't come back."

She knew that single-minded glint in his eye and was determined to match it. "Ronon, if you think I am just going to walk away, give up, and never spare you another thought, you have got a lot more to learn about me. I love you, Ronon, and somehow I am going to get you out of here if I have to _die_ to do it!" Now she was angry.

However, all the fight seemed to have deflated out of Ronon. He winced at her words, her tone, or both, his head falling in defeat against the bars. "That's my point, Teyla. That's why I want you to leave. If Felzar _ever_ finds out that you're the one that helped me kill Kell. . ." He stopped and swallowed hard, and when he looked up at her she could see pain in his eyes that nearly knocked her back off her feet as though he'd physically hit her. "You can't wind up here, Teyla. It'll be like he's throwing you to a pack of starving, human-form wolves. My people have changed, they've become self-serving monsters, and Felzar is the worst of them all." He shook his head. "Please, Teyla, I don't want you to wind up in his hands, at his mercy. I can't let that happen, I can't. . ."

She jumped slightly as he suddenly slammed his fist against the wall next to him. "I can't watch my nightmare come to life," he admitted softly, in a low voice that belied his previous action. "Please, Teyla, just go. Let me die knowing you're safe."

Teyla shook her head in denial. "Don't make me leave, don't make give you up. . ."

Ronon shot a guarded look down the hall to the guards standing at the other end and then reached his arm through the bars to touch her face. "I love you, Teyla. Please."

At the same moment as he said this, she felt him slip something into the hip pocket of her pants. She opened her mouth to say something, but he shook his head, a warning look in his eyes. So Teyla kept her mouth shut, instead reaching up both of her hands to take Ronon's cold hand in hers and press a kiss to his rough palm. "I love you, Ronon," she said, but there was already a plan forming in her mind to get him out.

He smiled tiredly but sincerely. "If it weren't for the bars, I'd kiss you, but. . ." He pulled her hand through to his side of the cell and kissed her own palm. "I'm afraid that's going to have to do." Ronon let go of her hand, breaking the last of their contact and allowing her to withdraw it.

She left then, feeling Ronon's eyes follow her down the hall and then as far as he could watch her progress up the steps, knowing that after she was gone he was going to return to his cot and prepare himself to die.

Teyla, however, wasn't ready to let him do that, not by a long shot.

_**Atlantis**_

Elizabeth had a look of barely-controlled fury on her face when they returned to Atlantis. Immediately upon reaching home, she called for a briefing and headed up the Gateroom steps. Sheppard wasn't far behind her, an equally livid look on his face, and McKay looked somewhat confused as he followed.

Teyla caught up with Elizabeth halfway up the steps. "May I have a few moments alone, Doctor?"

One look at her face must have told her clearly that Teyla needed the time for something important. She nodded with an understanding smile. "Take however much time you need, Teyla. We'll be waiting in the briefing room for you."

Teyla murmured a soft word of thanks and slipped away to the balcony just off the control room, breathing in the fresh ocean air and relishing the breeze against her skin. She long to bring Ronon back home, to give him a chance to feel this again, and every day for the rest of his (hopefully long) life.

She moved over to the railing and leaned against it, taking a moment to admire the beautiful vista before her before casting a cursory glance behind her to make sure no one in the control room was watching her. Then she pulled out the piece of paper that Ronon had slipped into her pocket and unfolded the two pages, smiling immediately at the sight of his familiar scrawling handwriting.

The first was a letter addressed to her, the other was a letter addressed to Doctor Weir and the other two members of his team.

She refolded the second letter and tucked it into her pocket before drinking in every word of his letter to her, swallowing back all her emotions and reserves until she reached the end.

_Teyla,_

_As you know better than anyone else, I'm terrible at expressing myself even to you, so I'll make this short._

_Obviously, if you have this letter, I've already told you never to return to Manaria, but I've discovered that, with your stubbornness, I'd better say it again. Don't come back. I don't want you to come back to Manaria whether it's to rescue me, or to just be at the execution. I don't want you there, I want you safe from Felzar. This way, even if he does find out about your helping me, though you had no idea of my plans, you'll be safe from him._

_I love you, Teyla, please never forget that. I also want you to know that I was very much looking forward to marrying you and spending the rest of my life with you. However, I do not want you to continue to mourn me once I am gone. I want you to go on living your life, fighting the Wraith like you do so well, leading your people, and I want you to love again. You have a beautiful, caring heart, and I would be selfish even in death if I wanted to hope that you always love only me. So I want you to, if you find someone else to love, not hold yourself back, to let yourself fall in love._

_I love you, Teyla. May we one day meet again in the stars._

_Ronon_

Teyla closed her eyes and let out her breath, determined now more than ever to get him out. She didn't want to love anyone else, she already loved someone, and there was no way she was going to let him go until he breathed his final breath, and perhaps not even then.

She spun and determinedly walked back into Atlantis, tucking her letter into her pocket. They were _going_ to rescue Ronon, even if she had to turn herself over to the Satedans to do it.

_To Be Continued. . ._

_**I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and the next should be up soon!**_

**Hannah 554**: Thank you:) More of Ronon's protective side comes out this chapter, and I hope that you enjoy!

**SpaceMonkey0941**: Thank you! You're right, dream sequences are very much fun, and so is freaking the other out. :) The ramifications of that dream are in this chapter, and I hope that you enjoy! And I also hope that you feel better soon, I'm sorry you're sick. . . (hugs)

**TubaPrincess**: Thank you! I was actually _shaking_ when I was writing that dream, I had myself all worked up writing it. The ramifications of that dream are in this chapter. . .I hope that you enjoy!

**StarSkimmer**: Thank you! I love writing Ronon/Teyla angst, I think it's my favorite (second only to writing romance, LOL). Thank you so much for asking about my grandmother—she is in the hospital right now with pneumonia, but I talked to her on the phone earlier and she sounds much better, so I think she's turned a corner. :) Thanks again, and I hope that you enjoy this chapter!

**Nerwen Aldarion**: Definitely, and that comes out very clearly in this chapter (or, at least, I hope it does. . .). I hope you enjoy!

**LadyBozi**: Wow! Thank you! I actually thought of the ceremony while watching your "Pale" vid, when she was sitting there with the candle meditating. My mind immediately poked me and whispered that I should write something like that, and that it would work perfectly with the purity ceremony I had in mind. And, honestly, I had "Runner's Sorry" in mind when I wrote Ronon's dream sequence—I wanted to tie this back to it. :) I'm really glad that you're enjoying this, thank you so much for letting me write it:D I hope you enjoy this chapter! (hugs)


	9. Chapter 9

Please see first chapter for disclaimer, rating, warnings, pairings, etc.

Part 9/?

**Chapter 9**

The commons area just outside the jail was already swarming with Satedans and Manarians alike when John, Teyla, and Rodney arrived. Lorne and two Marine teams, dressed similarly to the other people in the crowd, had blended in until it was time to put the plan they'd made the day before into action.

Teyla had not shown the others her own letter or even said anything about it; she merely handed over the one addressed to Ronon's other teammates and waited quietly to see what it said. Basically it said much the same thing (including rather specific threats of his coming back from the grave to haunt them if they allowed Teyla to come anywhere near Manaria for any reason), but minus the quiet tenderness that her letter had held. This letter was a warrior's farewell to his friends and fellow soldiers, and it was obvious.

Fortunately for Teyla, no one else seemed any more inclined to leave Ronon on Manaria to die than she was. They had immediately started planning ways they could break their imprisoned teammate out, sharing their somewhat limited knowledge to get a general idea of what they needed to do.

Between Elizabeth's arguing with Felzar and Rodney's subtle (and sometimes _not_ so subtle) questioning of the Manarians and Satedans, they managed to form a pretty good idea of what was supposed to happen the next day. About an hour after sunrise, the commons area outside the jail would fill with people, and then a few minutes after that, Felzar would escort Ronon out and proceed with the planned public execution.

It was then, and only then, that they would put their somewhat open-ended plan into action. They had planned it so minimal casualties would result, but there was some dark part of Teyla that secretly hoped that Felzar would be one because of the heartache and pain he had caused both Ronon and her. She knew that that was a terrible wish for her to have, but she couldn't help herself.

John nudged her shoulder with his and spoke just loud enough to be heard over the crowd, but quietly enough so only she would hear what he said. "You ready for this, Teyla?"

She tightened her grip on the P-90 clipped to her vest, anger and hate burning equally in her veins and the undeniable ache for revenge seeping into her heart. "More than." She glanced up at Sheppard, who had almost the same expression in his eyes. "What about you?"

A slight smile curled his lips upwards briefly. "Never leave a man behind," he said simply, and Teyla turned her face forward again and folded her lips to repress a smile. It didn't matter that they were outnumbered by the crowd, and it didn't matter that Ronon had ordered them not to try to rescue him.

Felzar and his men couldn't beat sheer determination, no matter what the numbers said.

On the other side of Teyla, Rodney looked at his watch and swallowed audibly. "Five minutes."

Her eyes remained focused on the door to the prison, where the Satedan guards—and Felzar—would bring Ronon out. Her gut was tied in knots of nervous excitement; adrenaline was beginning to pump through her veins; and she had to force herself not to storm the prison doors at that moment. She wanted—_needed_—for this to succeed, and even if Ronon was forever mad at her for going against his (what he thought to be) final wishes, she would at least know he was safe. Teyla would be able to bear his never wanting to speak to her, love her, even so much as _look_ at her again, to have their wedding canceled and her happiness crushed, just so long as she knew that Ronon was alive and safe.

She loved him enough to let him go, but not to let him die.

"Two minutes."

Teyla quietly did one last check of all her weapons and ammunition. She hoped that once the first shots were fired the innocent civilians that were there only because of Felzar's cruel tyranny would flee, and they would only have to deal with the Satedan guards who would be holding Ronon, and of course, Felzar himself.

She hadn't noticed that the door to the prison had opened until a hush washed over the crowd like a blast of cold water, starting at the front and rapidly moving to the back.

Teyla felt John tense next to her and turned her attention in that direction, a fresh wave of fury and all-consuming hate roaring through her at the sight of Koran Felzar, standing before the crowd with a smirk on his face and nothing but malice and self-absorbed triumph in his eyes.

She and John both whispered a word they should have been ashamed of at the sight of him. They waited for him to speak, knowing that all the Marines in the crowd were preparing at the exact same time as them as they wrapped their fingers around the triggers of their weapons and prepared to fire, only waiting until they saw Ronon before they did.

They did not have long to wait. Only a few seconds after the ex-commander exited the prison, two Satedans almost as muscular as Ronon led their prisoner from the building.

Teyla's heart nearly stopped when she saw him, not just because she was so happy to see him, but because of how he looked. Gone was the proud warrior that she'd fought with—and at times against—for so long. In his place was a defeated man with slumped shoulders that had once been proudly held straight; tangled dreadlocks hung limply around Ronon's pale, unshaven face and framed his half-closed green eyes; if Teyla hadn't known better, she'd almost have thought he was a completely different man.

Sheppard muttered a curse. "What have they done to him? Why's he given up?"

Her heart hurt. "I don't know, but we have to get him out of here soon. I can assure you that Felzar isn't going to waste any time."

Rodney glanced at them. "How do we know when to make our move?" he stage-whispered, looking nervous but ready to go. From where he was standing, he couldn't see Ronon, and thus didn't know how serious the situation really was.

John looked grim. "Very soon," he said. He reached his hand for his radio to give the signal to the Marines in the crowd. . .

Teyla's heart suddenly leaped into her throat when Ronon looked up and saw her. Pain and surprise flashed through his eyes, and then anger replaced the other emotions, though his face betrayed nothing.

She swallowed hard. She knew that the plan was out and that he was still very serious about what he'd said in his letters, but it was too late. They were there, and they had a plan to put into action—a plan that, granted, would go easier with his assistance.

Teyla made her eyes as begging as possible and raised her hand to her neck, where the necklace he'd given her still rested. She mouthed something, she was so emotionally confused that she wasn't even sure what she did, but whatever it was, it must have had the right effect on Ronon.

He turned his gaze from her and gazed out at the crowd, then looked at Felzar and the Satedan guards with him. "Listen to me!" he shouted, sounding much more like the old Ronon, the defiant Ronon, the one that she had fallen in love with.

Felzar visibly jumped, and the guards' grips on Ronon loosened. Dex shrugged them off, taking two steps back to address both them and the crowd. "Most of you in this crowd are Satedan, and I know that you have to be getting tired of being oppressed and lied to by Felzar. He's literally taken over here, just like Kell did! You don't _have_ to listen to him anymore! He and Commander Kell were in league together to send the men under their commands out to fight and die against the Wraith when they attacked Sateda, just so they could safely escape. I know that you have lost family and good friends because of what happened on Sateda all those years ago, and now I am begging you to stop letting yourselves be oppressed by a man who is no better than the Wraith themselves and take a stand, make things _right_ again!" His voice dropped slightly. "We can never get Sateda back, nor can we regain those that we loved that were lost when the slaughter happened that destroyed our world. That is why I killed Kell, why I did what had to be done. That is why you need to take a stand now, to make your lives better and try to regain at least a little of what we lost so long ago. Sateda may be gone, but its people and its spirit still live in us. The time has come to stop running from our past and our fears and_ fight_!"

The vehemence in Ronon's tone had more of an effect than Teyla thought even he had expected. No one tried to stop him during his speech, most because they were listening, enraptured, to his words; Felzar didn't try to stop him nor kill him mid-sentence because he was standing, shocked and confused, staring at Ronon. It was obvious that the ex-Runner's sudden change in demeanor had distracted the ex-commander, and that was just the thing that the team from Atlantis had been hoping for.

John jumped on the opportunity and said urgently into his radio: "All teams, attack!"

The first few rounds of gunfire were directed harmlessly into the air over everyone's heads, which startled the innocent civilians enough so that they scattered as quickly as they could. Only the Marines, AR-1, and a few of the braver Satedans remained where they were, waiting for the majority of the crowd to leave so the Atlantians could rescue Ronon and the Satedans could assist.

The civilians had just barely cleared the area when the firefight began, though it wasn't very much of one. Most of the guards that had once sided with Felzar were now fighting against him and the few guards that still stuck with him.

Ronon was fighting against Felzar, literally with his hands tied behind his back. He was holding his own very well, but the Satedan commander had the advantage since he was fighting with all limbs unhindered.

Teyla broke from her hastily-secured cover and, keeping low, ran behind Ronon and used her knife to cut through the ropes behind his hands behind him as she did so. Dex didn't even blink, he just smoothly jumped into a fight that he now had the advantage over since he was fighting with all his own limbs freed.

In the closer proximity to the few Satedan guards still loyal to Felzar, she found herself in the middle of a hand-to-hand combat that she won with only a little difficulty.

She dispatched the last guard she'd been fighting with a tremendous punch to the jaw as one of the Marines shot the very last one, plunging the Manarian village into silence with the act.

Teyla turned and looked behind her, where Ronon and Felzar had been fighting, and her stomach lurched when she saw them.

Felzar was lying on the ground at Ronon's feet, a burned, bloody hole in his chest from Ronon's blaster. Dex was still standing over the ex-commander, the barrel of his blaster still pointed at the man, a dark look of hate and rage in his eyes and on his face.

"Ronon. . ."

He looked up at her, his expression changing to a much less severe one. He just stood and stared at her for a long moment before turning away and heading for the Stargate. "Let's go home," he said, voice low and rough. He shrugged off the clamoring attentions of his fellow people, both those that had remained to fight and those that had fled for cover. One look at his face made them all wisely back away and fall silent, clearing a path for him and his teammates to head for the Stargate and home.

Teyla swallowed hard, knowing now that he absolutely hated her for going against his wishes. She knew that he appreciated the rescue, and didn't mind the rest of his team and the Marines being there—he just minded _her_ being there, though she wasn't entirely sure why.

The walk back to the Stargate was spent in painful silence, with Ronon walking at one end of the Atlantian rescue team and Teyla at the other. John, stuck in the middle, kept staring at Ronon's rigid back, turning away only long enough to toss sympathetic looks over his shoulder at her.

Rodney silently dialed the DHD when they arrived at the Stargate, either ignorant to the cool way Ronon was treating Teyla, the far more likely suggestion, or he had noticed and had chosen not to pay attention.

One by one they filed through the event horizon and out the other end on Atlantis, Teyla and Sheppard stepping through lastly in tandem.

The porthole shut down behind them, and Elizabeth came down the stairs from the control room to welcome Ronon back, make a general announcement to AR-1 that the debriefing would be soon, and then she dragged John off up the stairs and then to the balcony off the control room.

Lorne and the Marines all headed off in their separate directions; most heading for showers and changes of clothes and the rest to the infirmary to have their minor injuries patched up.

This left Ronon and Teyla alone in the Gateroom, standing feet away from each other, staring. Neither moved for a long time, unwilling to break the steady, unblinking eye contact they were maintaining. Teyla's gaze was remorseful but determined; Ronon's. . .well, his was far more complicated. It looked like he just wanted to go stomping off to hit something, but also like he just wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her senseless.

Teyla clung to the latter hope and stepped up so she was standing only a few inches away from him instead of feet, her face tipped up so she could maintain their eye contact. "Are you mad at me?" she asked softly, arching one eyebrow with both curiosity and trepidation.

Ronon slowly shook his head from side to side. The color had returned his face, the sparkle to his eyes, and the only thing marring this was the bruise that was forming on the side of his face from where Felzar had gotten in a good hit before Teyla had had a chance to free Ronon's hands. Other than that, he looked like the same Ronon that he'd been before Felzar and his guards had arrested him.

Before Teyla could analyze what happened Ronon had lifted her from the floor in a crushing hug, his strong arms holding her to him as he buried his face in her neck. "No, Teyla, I'm not mad at you. I had a feeling you'd do what you did anyway, knowing you as well as I do." He set her down, shot a look up at the interested eyes watching them from the control room, then grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the room and through the halls until he found a more isolated spot. Then he hugged her again, this time refraining from lifting her from the floor.

"I realized something else too. I'd been so fixated on protecting you that I kept pushing you farther and farther away, which is the last thing that I wanted to do. I love you, Teyla. I let too many things get between us, and I apologize for that, though I know it might be too late." His voice broke, and he shuddered slightly. "Please, Teyla, forgive me?"

She reached up her hands and placed one on either side of his face, her gaze remaining resolutely locked on his. "There is nothing to forgive, Ronon. I would have done the same in your position. You did the right thing, and I am just glad that you are home safe again."

Ronon leaned down and kissed her, and Teyla slipped her eyes closed and knew that everything was going to be okay, now, and. . .

She pulled back from him, gasping slightly. "Ronon, the wedding!" Teyla hid her face in her hands and groaned. "It's going to be fall on the mainland soon, and there is so much to do. . ."

Ronon placed one finger over her lips and smiled down at her, green eyes bright with admiration and love. "We can plan the wedding soon, Teyla," he whispered huskily. "Just let me kiss you again."

And he promptly proceeded to do so, blissfully sweeping all rational thought from Teyla's mind.

_To Be Continued. . ._

_**Important Note**: **I apologize for taking so long to post this chapter, but I have had midterms at my college this week, and on top of that stress my grandmother has been in the hospital. I wanted to wait until I had the time and concentration to make this a good chapter, and I apologize once more for it taking so long. But now midterms are over and my grandmother is home, so I will try hard not to be late from here on out. Once more, I apologize, and I hope that you enjoy this chapter!**_

**Hannah 554**: Thank you! I think this chapter will make up for the last sad one—I apologize for it being so late, and I hope that you enjoy!

**SpaceMonkey0941**: LOL -hugs- Your review made me laugh and cheered me up greatly, something that I really needed this week. Thank you so much. -hugs again- I'm so sorry this chapter is late (though it is happy to make up for everything. . .), and I hope that you enjoy!

**LadyBozi**: Aw, thank you! -hugs- I apologize very, very much for taking so long to update this (I'll try to do better from here on out!); it makes me feel so bad that you're letting me write this and then I don't update for forever. Once more, I apologize for taking so long to get this chapter up, and I hope that you enjoy it!

**StarSkimmer**: I am so sorry about the evil cliffie and for making you wait so long to get the resolution—it's made me miserable this week not writing. Teyla's plan is put in motion in this chapter, and once more I apologize for taking so long to post it. I hope you enjoy it!

**Nerwen Aldarion**: I am so sorry for making you cry! -hugs- I hope this chapter makes up for both that and my tardiness in getting it written and posted—I apologize for it being so late, and I'll try to be better with the next chapters. I hope you enjoy!


	10. Chapter 10

Please see first chapter for disclaimer, rating, warnings, pairings, etc.

Part 10/?

**Chapter 10**

The week following Ronon's return to Atlantis was filled with hasty preparations for the upcoming wedding. Colonel Sheppard spent the vast majority of his time flying Ronon and Teyla back and forth between Atlantis and the mainland until three days before the big day, when he flew himself, Teyla, Ronon, and Elizabeth over so they could make the final preparations.

For Teyla, the time had flown by with arrangements with her people, fittings for her wedding and ceremonial dresses, and explaining to Elizabeth her part in the wedding and all preceding ceremonies. She had requested Doctor Weir to be her Bridal Sister, which (if she understood Elizabeth's explanation right) was the Athosian equivalent of the Earthling maid of honor, only with more responsibilities.

At the moment, Teyla sat in her tent on the mainland in a relaxed state of meditation, having concluded the last of her pre-wedding ceremonies for the day. Both she and Ronon had to complete three days worth of ceremonies before the actual wedding, to take place on the forth. From the time they separated to go to their separate tents to the time they stood together at the alter, they were not allowed to lay eyes on each other, for it was feared to be bad for the future of the marriage.

She found it a miserable process, spending so much time away from Ronon. And this right on the heels of his incarceration by the Satedans! It was unbearable.

However, Teyla forced herself to obey the rules and remained in her tent, taking solace in meditation. Elizabeth had slipped out a few minutes earlier, presumably to spend some time with her own love, leaving Teyla alone and depressed. As long as she was going through the ceremonies and reciting age old words and completing rites, she didn't have a chance to think about Ronon. But once night fell and the ceremonies ended for the day, she had plenty of time to sit and brood on the fact that Ronon was only a few tents away, but he might has well have been all the way back on Atlantis.

_One more day_, she kept telling herself. _Only one more day of ceremonies, and then the fourth day will arrive, and I will see Ronon again, and we will marry._

Teyla rolled her lips together to repress her smile and pushed the thought away, drawing in a deep breath and forcing herself to relax back into her meditation. Usually she could escape, clear her mind, and look at everything rationally when she was meditating, but as usually happened when Ronon Dex was involved, this she couldn't.

_Thump, thump, thump-thump-thump._

Teyla barely opened one eye and groaned. Since Ronon's ceremonies weren't nearly as numerous and intricate as hers (she was not just the bride, she was also the leader of her people, which made everything more complicated), Elizabeth told her that he would immediately set to practice a Satedan tradition that he had to do. This explanation had also been accompanied by copious laughter from the diplomat. She refused to say what she found so funny, only that Teyla would enjoy the final product when she saw it after the wedding.

Teyla found she could only take Doctor Weir's word for it.

By this time, the drums sounded like they were pounding in her head. She finally gave up on her meditation and went to collapse on her sleeping pallet, forcing herself to act mature and _not_ to squish her pillow against her ears to drown out the drumming.

Finally the drumming stopped, and Teyla rolled over onto her side with a sigh of relief and fell asleep, wishing for the next day to go quickly so she could see. . .

Teyla snapped awake when a hand folded over her mouth and a familiar voice hissed in her ear: "Shh!"

"Ronon!" she squeaked from behind his hand. "What are you doing here?"

He pulled his hand from her mouth and sat down next to her sleeping pallet. "It feels like it's been forever since I saw you," he said wistfully. "I couldn't wait any longer."

Teyla sat up and ran a hand through her tousled hair. "Ronon, you shouldn't be here!" She paused and bit her lip at the look on his face; she could never resist that expression. "But I'm glad you are."

Ronon grinned at her and reached out to squeeze her hand. One of the other rules was that their lips absolutely could not touch until they kissed at the alter as a married couple, and he seemed to be determined to hold up to that rule, at least, even if he couldn't keep himself from coming to see her.

Teyla squirmed around until she was facing him, sitting tailor fashion on her pallet. "Elizabeth will be back soon," she said, tossing a nervous glance at the doorway to her tent. "How did you get in here without anyone seeing you?"

Ronon smiled again and tilted his head towards the back of her tent. "You really need to tighten the tent supports," he said. "There's quite a big hole at the bottom of the back of your tent."

Teyla shot her love a mock glare. "You'd best tighten those supports back when you leave, I'd rather not have to sleep in a leaky tent tonight and tomorrow night."

Ronon's smile dimmed. "Two more nights," he said, and covered his face with his hands. "I understand the point of the ceremonies, but. . ."

She reached out and wrapped her arms around Ronon's strong shoulders to hug him. "It will seem like no time. Concentrate on your ceremonies and think of me."

He hugged her back tightly albeit slightly reluctantly. "Thinking of you is the problem," he protested.

"I know. But it is only one more day. And then. . ." She left the sentence dangling and sat up straight again. "I do not suppose you would like to inform me why those drums are so necessary?"

Ronon eyed her warily at her sudden change of subject. "No. Weir seems to find the whole thing quite humorous, though I believe that Sheppard's part is most of what's so funny."

Teyla smiled. "I know that she came in here grinning and told me that I would find it quite funny." She glanced at the doorway of the tent. "She'll be back any minute. . ."

Ronon grinned with obvious amusement. "I don't know about that. She and Sheppard went off somewhere together."

"Moonlight walk," Teyla decided. "They'll be back soon, and you had better be in your tent when Sheppard comes looking for you, as I must be alone in mine when Elizabeth does the same to me." She gently pushed at his shoulder, her smile lessening the impact of her following words. "Go. I will see you soon. If you are caught in here. . ."

He smiled chivalrously and hugged her again in lieu of kissing her—at least he seemed determined to hold to _one_ tradition. "Only one more day, Teyla, and then I won't have to let you go again." He hugged her again and whispered his love into her ear, and then disappeared through the loosened back of her tent. It didn't take him long to strengthen the supports again, and she didn't even hear him slip off to his own tent he went so quietly.

Ronon was just in time, for Teyla had no sooner lay down and closed her eyes again when the tent flap slapped open and Elizabeth ducked in, a smile on her lips and a smooth blush on her cheeks. She pulled the flap closed again and faced Teyla, her face quickly recomposing itself into the cool, in-control expression of Doctor Weir. "Did I wake you?" she questioned.

Teyla affected a yawn. "No, though I wish you had. It almost feels like those drums are still pounding around in my head." In truth, the only drum inside her was her heart, which was still racing from Ronon's hug. She would never admit it, but he had that effect on her.

Elizabeth laughed softly again and sat down on her own sleeping pallet across the tent, tugging off her boots before laying down and pulling up her covers. "I wish you could see them now, Teyla. It is so funny." She paused. "Then again, I suppose I am a bit biased towards one of them. . ." Her voice trailed off suddenly, and her even breathing signaled sleep.

Teyla rolled over onto her side and closed her eyes, wishing sleep would come as easily to her but knowing it wouldn't.

_Only one more day, and then. . ._ A small smile crept up her lips, and to her surprise, she slept.

_To Be Continued. . ._

**Important note:** **_Once more, I apologize for being tardy with this chapter. I have had the flu and a head cold, one right after the other, over the course of the past week and haven't felt like writing. However, I do feel better now and hope, hope, _hope_ that nothing else will delay me from getting the next chapter up on time. Once more, I apologize for this chapter being so late, thank you so much for your patience and understanding with me, and I hope that you enjoy this chapter!_**

**Hannah 554**: Thank you! Ronon's speech was a lot of fun to write (though somewhat difficult, because I wasn't entirely sure what exactly he would say), and I'm glad that you liked it. I love writing John; his "never leave a man behind" policy never ceases to make me smile (proudly) and is one of the things I like most about his character. And, of course, the reunion on Atlantis was the most fun to write. ;) I'm sorry that this chapter is late, but I hope that you enjoy it!

**TubaPrincess**: Thank you! I couldn't let Teyla leave Ronon with the Satedans. . .the jailbreak, I must admit, was a lot of fun to write (as was the reunion on Atlantis. . . -wink-). I'm sorry I took so long tot get this chapter up, but I hope that you enjoy it!

**StarSkimmer**: Thank you, I'm glad that you enjoyed it! I love writing Ronon/Teyla shippiness, it's my favorite, with angst being my second favorite. ;) I'm sorry it took so long to get this chapter up, but I hope that you enjoy! (And I'll try to do better. . .)

**SpaceMonkey0941**: Your reviews always cheer me up when I'm down. :D -hugs- I am so sorry that it took me so long to get this chapter up (stupid flu and what's so common about the cold? LOL), but I'll try to do better from now on. I hope you enjoy this chapter! -hugs again-


	11. Chapter 11

Please see first chapter for disclaimer, rating, warnings, pairings, etc.

Part 11/13

**Chapter 11**

Teyla took a deep breath and lifted her delicate crown of flowers from the table next to her, holding it for a long moment to admire the burst of color that adorned it. Then she pursed her lips in concentration and lifted it above her head and settled it over her loose hair. After a careful application of hairpins (threaded through the crown into her hair so that the intricate headpiece could not move or fall off), she stood back and anxiously awaited Elizabeth's verdict.

After a moment of agonizing scrutiny, Elizabeth smiled and nodded firmly. "Perfect. I love the colors you chose."

Teyla ran a hand down the silky green fabric, the shade of new summer leaves. "Despite the fact that summer is now leaving the mainland, I thought it was perfect." She didn't bother to explain the symbolism to her friend—she knew that Elizabeth understood perfectly. "Green looks good on you, too, with your hair and eyes."

Elizabeth smiled self-consciously and tugged on the skirt of her own dress. "Thank you." She moved to the flap of the tent and pushed it aside a little, peeking outside. "Looks like pretty much everyone's here. You ready to do this?"

Teyla looked down at herself, then back up at Elizabeth. "I do believe I am." She shook her arms a little, and the bracelets around her wrist and the beaded strings hanging in swags from the shoulders of her dress jangled prettily. She took a little shuffle step to the side, her double-divided skirt swishing around her legs.

Elizabeth grinned and tipped her head to the side. "Okay, Teyla, go knock 'em dead."

**-Mainland-**

Ronon squinted up at the sun, directly overhead, and then looked down the trail leading from the village to the little clearing where the wedding was to take place. "What time is it?"

John didn't even bother to look at his watch again. "Two minutes later than the last time you asked me. Don't worry, Ronon, she'll be here on time."

Dex sent him a look full of agony but didn't say anything. Instead, he distracted himself by looking around the clearing; everything was brightly decorated in shades of green, red, and gold. The weather had turned out perfect (a good omen, in his opinion), with a cloudless sky and just enough of a breeze to keep the temperature from getting too warm. The colors of fall were just beginning to show in the trees, adding even more beauty to the clearing.

Next to him, Sheppard tensed and poked Ronon in the ribs with his elbow. "Look sharp, buddy, here comes the first of the wedding procession."

He'd been in such a daze the he hadn't heard the Athosian musicians change from the random tune they were using to warm up to the gentle, harmonious rhythm of the song Teyla had chosen for the procession to come down the trail to.

Two young Athosian girls crept towards them, throwing bright red flower petals up into the air as they came. When they reached the end of the trail they ran off to join the crowd, leaving the trail littered with bright red petals.

Elizabeth came next. Her dark hair was pulled back at the sides and secured with a beaded clip that matched the summer green of her dress. Her heeled shoes elevated her height just enough so that, when she stood across from John, she could look him eye-to-eye.

The music changed tempo again, slowing to a softer melody that whispered the presence of the bride. Everyone's heads turned back in the direction of the trail, and a soft murmur ran through the crowd when they saw Teyla.

Ronon knew that she could look beautiful in anything—even covered from head to foot in mud—but at that moment he was sure that he _had_ to be seeing things. Bracelets adorned her wrists; necklaces in shades of green hung from her slender neck; and her green dress shimmered with bead-and-shell ornaments in bright shades of red and gold. Her hair hung free around her face and shoulders, and the crimson flowers in her crown made the highlights in her hair shine even redder. The front panel of her dress shifted as she walked, offering glimpses of her long, tanned legs. Her bare feet made no sound and left no prints as she finished her journey down the trail and paused next to him.

Green eyes met brown, and Ronon forgot to breathe.

**-Mainland-**

Teyla slipped her hand into Ronon's strong grasp, smiling up into his awestruck green eyes. She could feel the edge of the leather wristband that extended from his knuckles halfway up his arm pressing against her hand, and it kept her grounded. If Ronon wasn't holding her hand, she was almost sure she'd float away into the clouds somewhere—it already seemed like she was in a fog.

Could this possibly be real? Was she actually_ finally_ marrying Ronon, the man she loved?

She was abruptly brought back to reality by the voice of the Athosian Elder presiding over the wedding ceremony. The Elder had a smile on his face as he held out one hand towards Teyla and the other to Ronon, his gaze moving back and forth between the two as he began speaking in a strong, clear voice. It was a prayer to the Ancestors (spoken in Ancient), asking a blessing upon the couple so that they would have peace, prosperity, health, enduring love, and something was also said about many children, but Teyla chose to ignore that (for the moment). The prayer continued for a _long_ while.

After he finished the prayer, the Elder quietly looked at Teyla and requested that she speak after him. Still holding tightly onto Ronon's hand, she drew in a breath to steady her voice—which she knew would shake with excitement—and did as told, repeating in both Ancient and English the vows that the Elder said to her. She knew the words by heart; she'd spent hours in her tent going over and over them in her mind. It was a good thing, because the sound of her racing pulse in her own ears nearly drowned out his gentle, soft voice.

Ronon's hand tightened around hers as he repeated after the Elder in his turn. He sent sidelong glances her way, bringing a flush to her cheeks and warmth to her heart. It was all so dreamlike, like a fantasy, that she could barely believe that she had come this far through the ceremony without messing up out of pure excitement and nerves. The only thing that assured her that she wouldn't wake up in bed to realize this was all a dream was the warmth of Ronon's hand, and the feel of the cool grass beneath her bare feet.

The vows completed, Ronon and Teyla turned to each other and locked hands, holding them in front of them as the Elder loosely wrapped a wreath of pure white flowers around their joined hands and smiled at them. "As the Ancestors decree, may your marriage be filled with joy, love, and years of life to enjoy—together."

Then he dipped his cupped hands into the bucket of water that another Athosian held out to him. He then held his hands over Ronon and Teyla's and allowed the water to sprinkle over their clasped hands and the wreath of flowers. "Ronon Dex, Teyla Emmagan, may the Ancestors smile favorably upon you always." He stepped back and bowed his head, thus concluding the ceremony.

Ronon and Teyla stood just looking at each other, equally sappy looks on their faces. The Athosians were muttering approvingly among themselves, though the Atlantians were all wondering the same thing. . .

John stood looking expectantly at the Elder, waiting him to say the last line and the ceremony to conclude. However, when the Elder bowed and stepped back without speaking again, Sheppard had a feeling that he wasn't going to say _it_. So, he decided to take the task upon himself.

He glanced at Ronon and Teyla, then Elizabeth, and then back at the crowd before looking at the newlyweds again. He leaned a little closer to them, and said (with his infamous Sheppard grin): "You may now kiss the bride."

The Atlantians laughed while the Athosians all looked at each other with a little bit of confusion. Elizabeth gazed at John with a sneaky (and utterly approving) grin while Ronon and Teyla grinned at each other—ready, willing, and able.

Teyla and Ronon stared at each other for a long moment more, just enjoying the moment. Then he leaned down and she stood up on her tiptoes, and their lips met for the first time as a married couple.

The Atlantians in the crowd burst into applause, and the Athosians somewhat reluctantly joined suit.

As Ronon and Teyla turned to face the crowd, John happily declared: "I now present to you: Mr. and Mrs. Dex!"

_To Be Continued. . ._

_**I love weddings! I'm sorry it took so long to get this chapter written and posted—life has been crazy, and an alien wedding is not easy to plan! LOL Next chapter you find out what Elizabeth found so funny, and hopefully it won't be over a month before I get it posted. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**_

**TubaPrincess**: I was writing them apart and then I got so miserable writing them that way that I just _had_ to have him sneak in and see her. The drums aren't in this chapter, but they _are_ in the next. I'm so sorry it's taken so long to update (again)—I hope you enjoy this chapter!

**StarSkimmer**: Thank you so much! I'm sorry for making you wait again so long for this chapter. And I agree with you—weddings in Atlantis can sometimes get a little too fluffy for my taste. I'm trying really hard to keep this romantic and just _enough_ fluffy without being overly so. I'm so glad that it's turning out right! Once more, I'm sorry for the long wait, and I hope that you enjoy this chapter!

**Hannah 554**: Thank you! I'm sorry for making you wait a long time again. Life has been crazy and I was having difficulty lining everything up in my mind for the wedding. But now I've got the last two chapters straight in my mind, so hopefully there won't be any more loooong waits. And what Elizabeth finds so funny is in the next chapter (I'm going to have soo much fun writing this!). I'm so sorry for the long wait, and I hope that you enjoy this chapter!

**SpaceMonkey0941**: Thank you for letting me live, but if you want to go ahead and kill me for the super-long wait for this chapter, go ahead—I do deserve it. I have now got everything lined up right in my mind, so hopefully there won't be any more longer-than-a-month waits again. I hope you like this chapter—and I _really_ think you'll like the last two! -wink- -hugs-

**Nerwen Aldarion**: I'm soo sorry it's taken me so long to get this updated. I had trouble getting the wedding and following two chapters organized in my head, but I've got everything straight now, so hopefully it won't be so long before the next one is up. John's funny part is in the next chapter: but there's lots of Spanky fluff in this one. I hope you enjoy!


	12. Chapter 12

Please see first chapter for disclaimer, rating, warnings, pairings, etc.

Part 12/13

**Chapter 12**

"Where have you been?"

Twilight was closing gently over the mainland, light from the bonfire taking over for the disappearing sun, when Ronon slipped back into the clearing. He grinned secretively at Teyla and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "You'll see in a minute." He gestured towards where Rodney was standing before the crowd of Atlantians and Athosians alike. McKay was obviously gearing up to make an announcement (perhaps a congratulations/good luck speech?); judging by the expression on his face, he wasn't feeling very confident about it.

"Um-- ladies and ah-- gentlemen!" he called. Everyone immediately ceased speaking and looked towards him. A few feet behind Rodney, John Sheppard and Ronon's Satedan friend Solen Sincha lurked, exchanging nervous looks.

Then it dawned on Teyla. She was about to find out what Elizabeth had found so funny!

McKay sent a little agonized glance in Ronon and Teyla's direction, then noisily cleared his throat and began to speak. "As you all know, we are gathered here today to celebrate the unity of Ronon Dex and Teyla Emmagan as husband and wife." His voice squeaked, and the slightest amused murmur ran through the crowd, then stilled so he could speak again. "I am standing here to tell you about the next part of the ceremony."

Ronon's arm tightened around Teyla's shoulders again. When she glanced up at him she saw that he looked nervous, as well. But, she wondered, was he afraid Rodney was going to mess up, or that _he_ would?

Rodney spoke again, his voice a little steadier. "As Ronon explained to me so I could explain to you, the Satedans have a traditional fire dance that is performed at every wedding. The groom is the warrior, the defender of the family." Behind him, John and Solen ignited four, yard-high torches stuck in the ground. McKay threw a nervous glance over his shoulder. "Two other men, also armed with fire sticks, attack him, symbolizing any and all problems that may face the couple in the future. In warding off their attacks, Ronon must not drop his sticks at any time during the dance. If he does, it signals doom upon their marriage."

Teyla's breath caught in her throat; she looked up at Ronon. He was wearing his "warrior face," and something deep within her stirred at that. So _this_ was what he'd been spending so many long hours working on—he wanted to make sure everything was perfect for them!

As Rodney finished his speech, she quietly slipped her arms around her husband's waist, hugging him tightly, feeling yet another unique understanding with him flourish. She looked forward to the future years of their marriage: discovering new things about him and learning to understand him even better.

Ronon returned her hug fiercely, breathed something indistinguishable into her hair, and kissed her soundly. Then with long, determined strides, he crossed the clearing. He took the two fire-lit sticks that Solen and John respectively handed him, then backed off as they each took one of the remaining two.

Teyla drew in a sharp breath, nervously wrapping her arms around her stomach. Ronon nodded at John; at Solen; then at the drummers seated just outside the reach of the firelight.

The same familiar beat that had been playing almost constantly for the past three days started up again; this time it did not annoy Teyla. Instead, it stirred up unnamed but pleasant emotions within her as she anxiously watched him.

The three men began stamping their feet in time to the drums. Ronon closed his eyes, chest expanding as he inhaled deeply. He leaped into action at exactly the same moment as John and Solen did. The blazing torchheads wove patterns of hot light as, his eyes still shut, Ronon easily blocked potentially dangerous blows from both his "enemies." Teyla held her breath the whole time as John and Solen's fiery sticks came dangerously close to her husband during a couple of passes.

However, no one was singed, and she let out her breath as John and Solen were beaten off and defeated. They extinguished their torches and melted back into the shadows as the drumbeats paused, started again, rising to a breathless crescendo. Eyes open now, Ronon finished the dance by himself: feet keeping the beat as he twirled his firesticks, tossed them high, caught and twirled them again. He ended with both sticks crossed over his head, his eyes focused solely on Teyla's.

Everyone, Atlantians and Athosians included, burst into surprised and pleased applause and cheers. Ronon extinguished his own sticks and handed them off to the Athosian waiting to take them. He strode over to her, lifting her into his arms to spin her around enthusiastically. "We're safe!" he declared with a wide grin. "You have no idea how afraid I've been that I'd mess that up."

The crowd dispersed a little to give them some private space. Ronon kept her hugged close to his side as he drew her past where Rodney, Solen, John, and Elizabeth were talking, surreptitiously palming the object Elizabeth passed off to him. "Doctor Weir kept laughing at Sheppard all through practice. He either kept dropping his stick or accidentally hitting himself with it. Fortunately, it wasn't lit, so no damage was done."

Teyla rested her head against Ronon's side, reveling in the feel of his strong arm around her and the knowledge that he would be there for her for the rest of their lives. "I love you, Ronon." She just had to reaffirm it, because it seemed like she couldn't possibly say it _enough_.

He smiled at her and pressed a kiss into her hair. "I love you too. Always." With those words, he presented her (with considerable flourish) the thing he'd been hiding behind his back.

"Ronon, this is. . ." She took the flower from him, admiring the delicate red petals. It was folded up and scentless at that moment; but she knew as soon as it became fully dark it would bloom and give off its intoxicating scent.

She swallowed the lump at the back of her throat. "You got me another flower," she whispered. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes.

Pulling her behind the cover of a tent, Ronon clasped her tightly in his arms. "Well, the last time I presented you with one of those, it didn't go quite so well." He rested his forehead against hers, nearly knocking her crown loose and gazing into her eyes with solemn promise. "You can be sure I'll never make the same mistake again I did that night."

Teyla spun the stem of the flower between her fingers, smiling reminiscently. "I didn't really mean what I said that night, either."

He kissed her softly. "All in the past," he assured her. He took the flower from her to gently tuck it into her hair. He paused, his eyes going a little distant and sad. His voice had a catch in it when he said very softly, "I didn't do the dance when Melena and I married. She wouldn't have it, said it was nothing but superstition. So I went along with her wishes, but I've always wondered if—" His voice trailed off. He shook himself, repeating, "All in the past. Come on. Let's go tell Sheppard what a good job he did."

"And Rodney. How did you ever persuade _him_ to explain the dance?" Teyla laughed and willingly followed, her hand warmly clasped in Ronon's and joy in her heart.

_This_ was where she truly belonged.

_To Be Concluded. . ._

_**This chapter was a looot of fun to write. And mega huge kudos go out to my fantastic beta (who wishes to remain unnamed) for making this chapter perfect. I hope that you enjoyed this chapter, and the last one should be up soon!**_

**Hannah 554**: Thank you! I worked really hard on the wedding, so I'm unbelievably relieved that it turned out right. This chapter was a lot of fun to write—I hope you enjoy it!


	13. Chapter 13

Please see first chapter for disclaimer, rating, warnings, pairings, etc.

Part 13/13

**Chapter 13**

The Athosians were not a partying civilization; but whenever they did have an opportunity to celebrate some event or other they took full advantage. Teyla and Ronon's wedding party would continue far into the early morning hours—long after the honored couple had disappeared.

Knowing this, Teyla took Ronon's hand and silently slipped away with him into the woods. She led him down trail obviously cleared for easy walking, holding her skirt clear of the ground with her free hand.

Ahead, between the trees, Ronon spotted flickers of red and gold, like light from a fire. In only a few seconds his guess was proved correct. They left the cover of the woods and emerged into a landscaped clearing. A small fire beamed a warm welcome in the center; it cast dancing shadows across the grass and dimly revealed a small hut of logs with a thatched roof under the trees on the other side of the clearing. It made him smile, remembering a snug cave he and Teyla had shared not so very long ago.

Teyla paused and turned to face him. He took the opportunity to dip his head and kiss her. "Finally," he whispered into her loose hair.

She laughed softly, gently pushing him away. "Not yet," she said quietly, but with an unusual glint in her dark eyes. "There is one more thing I have to do, so that the Ancestors will bless us."

Enthralled by the firelight reflecting in her eyes and the strong, familiar scent of the red flower in his wife's (that just sounded so right!) hair, he nearly missed her words. When his mind finally caught up to his ears, he raised his eyebrows. "What?"

From behind him, back in the direction of the village, music started to play: a low, seductive beat wafted on the unseasonably warm breeze. A shiver ran across his shoulders. _What the. . .?_

Teyla slowly backed away from him, towards the fire. Her silky hair, gleaming with bronzy highlights, fell over her shoulder as she tipped her head sideways and smiled at him. Her hips swayed in time to the distant melody, causing her skirt to rustle softly around her long legs. Her small, bare feet slipped rhythmically over the ground; her smoothly rounded arms lifted, weaving languorous patterns as she began to circle the fire, always facing him.

Teyla _danced_.

The beaded strings depending from the belt of her skirt jangled softly together as she moved, providing a chiming accompaniment to the music. The tempo picked up. Teyla's movements shifted to match the rhythm, picking up and dropping off as the music did. The sheen of sweat slicking her skin made her seem to glow in the firelight; lit from within, full of radiant peace and happiness.

Ronon's breath felt stuck somewhere around the middle of his chest. His whole existence drew down to this moment, with his wife dancing for him in the firelight, and the overwhelming love he felt for her. For this point in time, nothing and no one else existed in his world—just Teyla.

The music finally faded, Teyla striking and holding a final pose on the other side of the fire. The breeze played with a strand of her hair, swiping it across her face with each gentle gust. She ignored it, standing statue-still. Ronon blinked, coming back to himself. He'd been so caught up in Teyla and her dance he'd lost track of time.

For a while they stood looking intently at each other across a fire burning noticeably lower. The tension drew out to a snapping point. They had waited months—years, if they wanted to be honest—for this. Now the dream had come true, and nothing would ever again keep them apart.

It was time.

Ronon held out one hand towards Teyla, an invitation for her to come. She did so immediately; moving swiftly and gracefully to his side, the smile on her lips also lighting her eyes. He was sure if he doused the fire, the entire clearing would still glow because of that smile.

He smiled down at her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and drawing her close against his side as her arm twined around his waist. They walked across the clearing to the cabin. Ronon opened the door with his free hand, then reached up and gently took the flower from her hair. He would always associate its spicy fragrance with Teyla. He led her inside, with that simple act closing the door on their old lives and opening one to their new life—together.

_**-The End-**_

_**And so ends "A Runner's Hope." Thank you so much for taking the time to read this, and thank you so much LadyBozi for letting me write it! I hope you have enjoyed reading this as much as I have enjoyed writing it. Thanks again!—fyd818**_

**SpaceMonkey0941**: Hee, yes, I am in a very fluffy mood today. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I'm really glad that you liked it. And, fortunately, ff net's e-mails are working again, so I'm just kind of doing a happy dance because of that. -grin- And, honestly, as far as Ronon's dance, I can't take full credit. The fantastic idea was actually LadyBozi's, I just wrote it, and my beta made it better. Here's the final chapter (can you believe it's over? -cries-): I hope that you enjoy it, and thanks for all your reviews! -hugs-

**Hannah 554**: Thank you! I admit that the dance was fun to write, though I'd been tearing my hair out for a while about it so afraid I'd get it wrong. Here's the final chapter (I can't believe it's over!): I hope you enjoy it! Thank you for all your reviews!

**StarSkimmer**: Thank you so much! I admit that I, too, have been direly tempted to kill ff net because of the lack of e-mail alerts, but they're working now so I'm not _quite_ so unhappy, LOL. And I worked for a long time on the wedding, because I wanted to have a happy wedding without going overboard on the mush and fluffiness. I'm glad that I succeeded and that you liked it! Ronon's fight ceremony was a lot of fun to write, I admit. I'm glad that you liked it! I hope this chapter gives you more pink warm fuzzies (I got them writing it!), and I hope that you like it! And thank you for all your reviews!


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